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Different role within the same company, but global coverage. Not really asking for advice, just venting, cos it's filling my brain and I need to vent.
It's visiting angry clients and fixing their issues, worldwide, as opposed to general UK based software services that I've been doing so far. It sounds like a dream job - not client billable work so just fix stuff and leave. Mostly just nervous because I like my current job...
Tell me stories about your job transfers.
It sounds like a dream job
Sounds like my worst nightmare tbh, sitting in airports or planes half yer life, to then listen to moaning bastards. Best of luck.
Traveling for work is awful
Worst of all, you might be sat on a plane, next to someone with questionable taste in footwear. While holding a courgette.
To some extent, my job is something similar; working to fix problems (more on the people side than technical these days), working globally etc etc.
It is definitely more emotionally taxing. When it is good, it is really, really good though.
I’m in a position where I can have more influence over the things in my work environment (opensource) than ever before. That matters to me, somehow.
It sounds like an interesting move, Molgrips - I hope it works out!
Rachel
You have a family right?
Looks on the face of it your company needs a scapegoat to fill a nasty hole..
You've been pointed out because you are a decent chap.
It sounds like a dream job
Sounds like my worst nightmare tbh, sitting in airports or planes half yer life, to then listen to moaning bastards. Best of luck.
This... ^
How angry will these clients be? How much pressure will you be under to fix their issues in a particular timeframe? Or will you be more like the AA man, who everyone is pleased to see despite the fact that their car is broken down. Helicoptering in to see grumpy clients who want it fixed yesterday doesn't sound great, but walking in to a 'thank god you're here' would be quite different.
Also which bit of the plane do you sit in on your way to these clients? And do you keep all your loyalty points?
And as it's worldwide do you now get the option to be paid in Euros or USD?
While holding a courgette.
Remember, grip the base firmly with your left hand...
Do it.
If you hate it you can always quit and find another job.
If you don’t do it you’ll spend a lifetime wondering “what if....?”
I did a similar job when I worked for one of the big-4 consultancies. It was UK based tho. They appealed to my ego when offering it- telling me how well thought of I was with clients and how good I was at getting to the heart of the problems.
I actually quite enjoyed the work in a ‘well I can’t leave it in any worse state that it is now’ but the travelling was horrible, and the not knowing what you were walking into never stopped being nerve wracking.
I didn’t do it for long. Had a young family and it was pretty much all consuming. Not sure if that’s analogous to what you’ve been offered, but that’s my experience.
Sounds like my worst nightmare tbh, sitting in airports or planes half yer life, to then listen to moaning bastards. Best of luck.
This.
Time to have the work life bike balance check, for me if I could plan the travel better I could make more of it. But I don't have a family to worry about or see so tagging a couple of weekends onto a trip and taking the bike is a bonus holiday
Traveling for work is awful
It certainly has its downsides. I did it for over 20 years, less so now by choice. At the end of last year to cover a colleague on paternity leave in the space of a couple of months I went to Prague, Tokyo, Seoul, Warsaw, Bangkok and Miami. I sat on the side of the Danube watching the swans swim by. Spent a day in Disneyland Tokyo,it's some experience to see how the Japanese embrace that! Found myself at the top of a mountain in the middle of a cultural festival in Seoul to mark international peace day. Saw a Polish Military passing out parade. Went on a suicidal Tuk Tuk ride through the streets of Bangkok and watched tug boats push and pull a container ship right into the centre of downtown Miami.
I sometimes wonder whether I'd do it all again though, I missed a lot of the kids growing up, it probably had an influence of getting divorced and it meant never really being able to take on any regular commitments.
Actually I do know, and yes I would do it all again, too many things seen and experienced that I cannot possibly imagine not having experienced and seen.
That job would put three stone on you and the forum would be deluged with fat angst threads week in week out. Show us some mercy molgrips.
Lol!
Travelling for work is awful
This - pretty much.
I've been travelling for the last 12 years on and off. Thankfully mine has been limited to Europe.
To be fair i've been to some cool places, eaten in some great restaurants and done things i'd have never done otherwise.. but 99% of the time i'd rather be at home with the wife and kids.
Worst of all, you might be sat on a plane, next to someone with questionable taste in footwear. While holding a courgette.
I think it is unlikely Molgrips new job gets him to travel at the front of the plane!
Fascinating how jobs like these polarise people!
My current job is services, which means my time is billable. I spend some of my time doing stuff like this - customer buys software, creates a turd of an application using it, then complains to us that it doesn't work properly and it's all our fault - but I always fix it. I'm pretty good and handling the customers in a techie way (not sales) I think. But there's always tension because the customers want it fixed, but really they should pay for my time. We can give some freebies away but pressure on our management is to be billable. Otherwise, I get to join some project for usually 3 months to help them implement something, but occasionally I get stuck in some awful tedious crap for a year being a code monkey, which I hate.
The new job is only the first part - sorting out customers problems - and it's only for a week at a time or max two. I get much more autonomy, no billable pressure, no timesheets and no long term commitment. It's also supporting a different product area which is much more interesting, complex and deep - last one was a bit of a pigeon hole and rather too easy. And on top of that it's high profile and high prestige. As for the pressure - I need pressure, and I always come through, so that should mean grateful customers and kudos for me.
Plus, I love the travel I do in my current role. Seems weird but I just love sitting in airport coffee shops chilling out with my laptop. The actual flying isn't too bad but so far I've only done short haul for work.
A mate from my current team went to work in this new one, and he loves it for the same reasons I do. He's well looked after, he has a lot of control over what he does and where he goes, and they respect his family commitments. So it seems like the right thing to do for me.
angry clients all over the world, with different cultural expectations and attitude to getting stuff 'fixed' -- hm, I'd not be rushing for that one !!
I think it is unlikely Molgrips new job gets him to travel at the front of the plane!
True - no business class for us 🙁
To be fair i’ve been to some cool places, eaten in some great restaurants and done things i’d have never done otherwise..
I spent four months working in Northern Sweden, December to March. The PM was a triathlete, so we did a few runs together. We were standing on top of a hill looking out across the snowy wilderness and he said the project might extend, and I might be needed for longer, then he apologised that I might have to do more travelling. I told him there was nothing to apologise for, I was having the time of my life! It was pretty magical. And of course I took my bike 🙂
I'm in the sounds like my idea of hell camp, but appreciate everyone is different so if it appeals to you then go for it.
I was chatting to a guy the other day who is really senior in HSBC and travels all of the time. He was so despondent, he basically said he spend his life queuing. He queues for airport security, then for the plane, then for his bags. He then queues for a taxi then queues to check into a hotel. The he queues at reception at the local office. And repeat, and repeat. He said it puts him off going abroad for holiday.
I think occasional travel for work is awesome. Doing it all the time will suck your will to live.
The new job is only the first part – sorting out customers problems – and it’s only for a week at a time or max two.
Plus, I love the travel I do in my current role. Seems weird but I just love sitting in airport coffee shops chilling out with my laptop. The actual flying isn’t too bad but so far I’ve only done short haul for work.
the more important question is how does the rest of the family think about you being out for 2 week stints - 1 always = 2 in these cases 😉
I was chatting to a guy the other day who is really senior in HSBC and travels all of the time. He was so despondent, he basically said he spend his lie queuing. He queues for security, then for the plane, then for his bags. He then queues for a taxi then queues to check into a hotel. The he queues at reception at the local office. And repeat, and repeat. He said it puts him off going abroad for holiday.
he needs to sort his loyalty schemes out!! The one bonus of travelling on the work ticket a lot is the very short queues - or none at all, doesn't make it great just more bearable.
the more important question is how does the rest of the family think about you being out for 2 week stints – 1 always = 2 in these cases
Well I'll always be home for weekends. Like I say I've been chatting to a mate who made the same move a year ago, and he insists on being home to take his kids to school every Friday - and he is.
he needs to sort his loyalty schemes out!!
Yes he does - only took me about 2 months travelling weekly on KLM to get queue-jumping priority.
I think for the sake of SingleTrackWorld's belly busting threads you should do it.
This new job has plenty of air-mileage to justify lack of dietary control and weight loss.
I've been exporting for 35 years and before email, digital cameras and Watsapp, my trips used to involve a lot of dealing with customers' lists of complaints and grievances. Nowadays that's completely unnecessary because we are so easy to contact and stuff gets resolved in a few minutes.
If you're single I'd say definitely go for it; nothing broadens the mind like overseas travel. The only downside is that you will become very blasé about travelling and your wife will get annoyed at your lack of excitement about going on holiday.
Well I’ll always be home for weekends.
When you’re away long haul?
Really depends on if you have a young family and how your partner feels if they will be taking the load whilst you are away.
If I was to do this I would feel incredibly selfish, leaving my partner to do most of the upbringing.
The only way I have even thought about justifying a job with significant time away from family is if I earned so much my wife could completely stop working and I could afford to employ a bunch of people like gardners and cleaners to make our life easier.
Running those numbers through I need to be earning something like £120k....
Traveling for work is awful
+1
Try and avoid it at all costs now, inc holidays as I have wasted way too many weeks in lounges, planes, taxis etc. Starts off exciting and then rapidly becomes soul destroyingly tedious.
doesn't sound like a dream job to me - I've done it a couple of times and often you just go over there for them to have someone to shout at, and then you'll be under the cosh (think Liam Nesson...) to get the problem fixed. Staying in hotels with nasty air conditioning...
Traveling for work is awful
+1
I used to travel a lot before we had kids. It was OK when I was single but I wouldn't dream of doing it now.
I'm already away now a lot - potentially much more than in the new job. That's part of the reason for moving.
When you’re away long haul?
Yeah - fly out Monday, fly back Thursday. Back to back long haul wouldn't be great but no job's perfect.
A few things to consider based upon too many years of International biz travel.
What is your companies travel policy for Long-haul?
As Asia/US travel in economy can be horrendous , even premium economy can make a significant difference to how you feel during and after the flight.
Will you be paid for travelling inc weekends?
Join an Airline loyalty scheme and rack up those points for upgrades, fast check-in and importantly lounge access (Quantas Lounge in HK my fav :-)).
I use BA/Avios + BA Amex card for expenses and its pretty much paid for the Family holiday to Florida.
Always carefully plan your trips so you don't travel across two consecutive weekends to allow jet-lag recovery time.
Now when we travel on family holidays, my Wife's holiday starts at the airport whilst mine starts at the final destination. I don't enjoy the travel bit anymore 🙂
So If you are Youngish and Mobile go and try for a few years enjoy the experience, if its not your bag then move on.
Will you be paid for travelling inc weekends?
It accrues TOIL.
I have been doing some travel for work.
Yes, it is interesting and you get to meet some nice folk and go nice places. I find the Europe stuff easy, the long-haul was tough. I work in a nice industry though, and I am welcomed by clients as a partner and 'help' when then need it as a trainer. Plus I think I do a good job (and so do they usuall!).
Home - mrs_oab is (rightly) getting antsy about some of the forthcoming trips (London or south x8 trips, Europe for three week long+, Aisa for two week by October.) It puts pressure on her as working and looking after the boys. This for me is the bigger issue.
I and mrs_oab are OK with current level of me being away, but not much more. That said, we may have global development job in a years time, and it is tempting...
Tell me stories about your job transfers.
3 years ago I moved to Sales from Professional Services management. I was bored, demotivated and wanted to try something different. I was offered a chance to move internally. I gave myself a year knowing I'd move on after that, I was shitting myself at the thought of selling things, and trying to make a number.
Its the hardest most stressful job I've done, but am really enjoying the challenges, the flexibility and the success. I started at the bottom and worked my way up to a the most senior non management position, and have enough on my CV to give me plenty of opportunity outside of my current organisation.
If I hadn't taken the first step I'd have been looking for management of a professional services team or a supporting SME role in related civil engineering which looking back now, would not have lit my fire.
Sometimes its worth taking the risk just to find out whether you like something different, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. There's a lot said for being happy in what you do daily.
It is very polarising, it does help if you have always just done it
Try and avoid it at all costs now, inc holidays as I have wasted way too many weeks in lounges, planes, taxis etc. Starts off exciting and then rapidly becomes soul destroyingly tedious.
Weeks on end in the office can be just the same.
The other factor to consider is some recovery time, last week was 3 days away but flights were 9pm out on Monday and 10pm home on Thursday, followed by this week with a day trip to Paris then off across the county the day after. Now before I knew I was doing that I booked a weekend away in the middle - still feeling like I need a day off today.
You need to be very clear on how the TOIL policy works and what expectations are on you, again just shy of 3 weeks hours in 2 here and I'll not be getting much of that back.
Cash wise what is covered - is there an away from home allowance as incidentals tend to add up for the little things that don't end up on the company plastic.
As many have said it opens up some fantastic places and some shit holes, I've ridden my bike in some iconic places thanks to work and round the back of the shit works in Hamilton NZ on a wet Wednesday night.
the thing with travelling for work is if you only do it a couple of weeks a year, it's quite nice. Time to hang out by yourself, reflect, go somewhere new, meets some new people. Lovely.
Do it monthly and its a nightmare. Constantly going to the same sh*toles, via the same sh*tty airports (and with work I'd only travel at the front anyway). Missing out on important things in life, destroying good chances of a relationship, wearing you down, jetlag causing you to be tired the whole time, whether you're away, or at home recovering from it.
Don't do it 😛 This hasn't polerised people, everyone with experience is saying no. The £500/year worth of points\miles you get just isn't worth the pain.
(qualifications : ba silver, hilton gold, marriott gold, avis presidents)
Don’t do it 😛 This hasn’t polerised people, everyone with experience is saying no.
Read the thread carefully. I'm already away from home 50-60% of the time in my current job. I was in Amsterdam three days a week every week from September to Christmas, and I enjoyed it. The family are used to it. And when I'm at home, I'm at home, so I'm ready to hang out with the kids at 3.45 or whatever.
The new one will be better because there are no long term assignments, which means lots of breaks.
At least you will no longer need to eat your protein shakes as exercise will go out of the window.
My cousin does a lot of travelling. Most of it business or first class. He gets to see some nice parts of the world and his strava looks impressive, but it’s not healthy or conducive to family life (his words not mine) . Odly though he keeps buying businesses that mean lots of international travel.
I used to fly Leeds to London for work and that was tiring enough.
If it's crap can you have your old job back?
If so what's stopping you?
Dunno if I get my old job back or not.
Plucked up the courage to email my current boss at 5pm yesterday but he'd clocked off, so I emailed. I hate breakups!
Do you get to work form home when your in the UK? One of the savings for me (which I'm not quite getting here) was being able to get up late and do a day from home getting caught up on the mundane stuff like washing/post/shopping while being able to do calls and answer emails. Landing late and being in the office 9am the next day is less fun.
Do you get to work form home when your in the UK?
Yes, if you could check.my posting history you'd be able to tell when I'm on a project 🙂
I went to one external job interview for professional services, and it sounded pretty good, until near the end of the any questions part I remembered to check if I got to work from home when unassigned, assuming that was obviously he case. But they expected you in the office every day. Er, no thanks!